One of our best basketball friends ever, Jim McMillian has died at age 68

Jim McMillian(LA Lakers) Gone at age 68

A very sad night when you read this news…Jim McMillian was a gentle-giant and one of the best friends you could ever have…Met Jim back in the 90’s and had on as a radio show guest several times back then and again, Jim was just so nice and he was a big-time name that played for the LA Lakers and was there with Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Happy Hairston, Wilt Chamberlin and add in Jim McMillian to the starting Lakers’ lineup and they won the NBA Title in 1973 and that year, the Lakers won 33 consecutive games…

Jim was a friend first and I remember one year he went back to Los Angeles for one of his 1972 Championship reunions and before he went, I told Jim to bring me back a souvenir and he brought me back a program with all the players photos on it and some were signed…I still have that today and it is in great condition…

Jim was the man and I miss already and I haven’t seen him in many years…Once you met Jim, you never forgot him, a big man with always a big smile on his face…

He loved his family and we knew his kids Aaron, who played high school basketball at the Greensboro Day School and his daughter Emon, who played high school basketball at Western Guilford….Both played in college, Emon at Wake Forest and Aaron at Wake and Old Dominion…

If you ever met Jim, you will never forget him and I for one, am very sad to see him gone and will miss this man at his passing…If you will, please say a prayer for his family tonight, Jim was such a good friend to so many people, we need to remember his family at this time…

Such a good friend to all and originally from Raeford, North Carolina and he was a cousin of track star and Olympian Kathy McMillian…

Anyone that met Jim would tell you the same thing, this man was a people person and was a friend to all and one of the nicest people that you would ever meet…I know we have written a lot here, but Jim McMillian is worth every word of it…We loved you Jim and we will miss you man…One of the best basketball people that ever came through Greensboro, Jim McMillian….

RIP Jim McMillian and thank-you for being our basketball friend….

LOS ANGELES — Jim McMillian, who helped the Los Angeles Lakers to a 33-game win streak and the 1972 NBA championship as a second-year pro playing with Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West, died Monday. He was 68.

from www.espn.com:
Jim McMillian is survived by his wife of 43 years, Alexis, his son, Aron, his daughters Erica and Emon and seven grandchildren.

McMillian died from complications of heart failure at a hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after being in failing health in recent months, according to his sister-in-law, Denise Sheridan.

The Lakers made McMillian the 13th pick in the first round of the 1970 draft out of Columbia University. He was also drafted in the first round by the New York Nets of the ABA, but he chose the Lakers.

He averaged 15.3 points per game in three seasons in Los Angeles and was a key member of the Lakers’ first championship team in the city after their move from Minneapolis. He averaged 19.1 points in replacing retired Elgin Baylor at forward, a move that coincided with the start of the team’s 33-game win streak. The roster included Chamberlain, West, Gail Goodrich, Happy Hairston, Keith Erickson and Pat Riley. They were coached by Bill Sharman.

To read more on Jim in this ESPN post CLICK HERE….

from Wikipedia on Jim McMillian:
James M. “Jim” McMillian (March 11, 1948 – May 16, 2016) was an American professional basketball player born in Raeford, North Carolina. After starring at Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, McMillian played college basketball at Columbia University[1] He led Columbia to a three-year mark of 63-14, and their last NCAA Tournament appearance in 1968, his sophomore year. The tourney ended with a third-place finish for Columbia in the East regional, and Columbia ended that 1967-68 season the sixth-ranked college team in the nation.

“Jimmy Mac” not only was a three-time All-American and All-Ivy Leaguer, he was All-East each year, the ECAC Sophomore of the Year, and became the first person ever to earn the Haggerty Award in each of his three varsity seasons.

He scored 1758 career points then a record, now second and averaged 22.9 points per game second-best then and now. He is also second in career rebounds (743) and holds the season records for field goals in a season (253) and career (677). But despite their outstanding winning percentages, his Columbia teams managed only one Ivy League title in a period when they battled tough Princeton teams with Geoff Petrie and John Hummer and Penn teams with Dave Wohl and Corky Calhoun.

A 6’5″ forward, he was drafted in the first round 13th overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA and was also a first round pick of the New York Nets of the ABA. He chose the Lakers and spent three years there, scoring 3714 points, an average of 15.3 per game. In 1972, he helped lead the Lakers to an NBA Championship, averaging 19.1 points per game in the playoffs. He was a key factor in the Lakers’ record-setting 33-game win streak that season. McMillian, who was in his second season that year, replaced Elgin Baylor at forward and the team immediately launched their streak. After the retirement of Wilt Chamberlain, the Lakers needed a center and traded McMillian to the Buffalo Braves for Elmore Smith. He later played for the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. At the end of his career he moved to Italy and played for Sinudyne Bologna for two seasons…